Protective cover for a part of a medical device

ABSTRACT

A protective device (10, 10′) provides a protective cover for a part (12, 12′, 12″) of a medical device and includes a flexible part (14, 14′) and with a rigid part (16, 16′). The rigid part (16, 16′) has at least one locking element (28, 28′). The locking element (28, 28′) is lockingly connectable to a counterpiece of the corresponding part (12, 12′, 12″) of the medical device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a United States National Phase Application ofInternational Application PCT/EP2017/001296 filed Nov. 8, 2017, andclaims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of GermanApplication 10 2016 013 394.5, filed Nov. 11, 2016, the entire contentsof which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention pertains to a device (protective device) acting asa protective cover for a part of a medical device, especially for ahandle of a medical device, for example, to a lamp (operating lamp)intended for use in an operating room.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Medical devices and hence also medical devices intended for use in anoperating room must frequently be set or adjusted manually by themedical staff during use, for example, during a surgery. Such medicaldevices have handles or the like for this purpose, which must be sterilein order to prevent transmitted infections by a user to a patient orvice versa. Such handles are usually replaced, for example, before eachsurgery for this purpose, or a protective device in the form of asterile cover intended for disposable use or in the form of a disposablecover is arranged on the handle.

Such disposable covers usually consist of a bag made of a plastic, whichis pushed over the handle in question. The bag is kept open by a stablepart at the open end. The protective device is often connected to thehandle in a non-positive or positive-locking manner by means of thestable part. In addition or as an alternative, a vacuum generated whilea protective device is being arranged on the handle in question is alsoused for holding on the handle due to the inflow of air into theinterior of the protective device being prevented by good sealing.

Depending on the configuration, the manufacture of prior-art protectivedevices is expensive, especially because the individual components,especially individual components in the form of, for example, deep-drawnplastic parts, are already expensive and multipart protective devicesmust be connected to one another by means of complicated processes.

The arrangement of prior-art protective devices on a medical device isat times very difficult precisely in case of non-positive connections tothe handle in question, because arrangement with only one hand is verycomplicated and another person must therefore sometimes hold upnonsterile components of the medical device.

Furthermore, it cannot readily be recognized after a use of prior-artprotective devices whether the product in question was already mounted.Therefore, disposable products imply the latent risk of infectingpatients and users due to negligent or willful multiple use.

Finally, prior-art protective devices in a particular packaging have arelatively large volume. This leads to an increase in the cost ofsterilization, in the cost of sterile packaging and in the space neededfor storage, the latter being especially critical in case of storage inthe operating room or in a surgical department because the spaceavailable there is incomparably more limited.

SUMMARY

Based on the observations outlined above concerning prior-art protectivedevices, one object of the present invention is to provide a protectivedevice for a handle of a medical device, which is characterized byimprovements in respect to individual drawbacks mentioned above or inrespect to a plurality of the aforementioned drawbacks.

This object is accomplished according to the present invention by aprotective device for a handle of a medical device, which devicecomprises a first, flexible part and a second, firm part (a harder partor essentially rigid part—hereinafter rigid part), for the flexible partto cover at least a grip area of the handle entirely when the protectivedevice is arranged on the handle. The rigid part is configured to meshdetachably with a base area of the handle. The rigid part comprises atleast one locking element for the detachable fixation at the base area.

The protective device being provided for a handle of a medical deviceaccordingly comprises a rigid part intended for the fixation of theprotective device on the handle as well as a flexible, bag-type partintended for covering at least the grip area of the handle, wherein thetwo parts are connected to one another and wherein the rigid part has atleast one locking element, which can be detachably connected, forexample, lockingly detachably connected, to a counterpiece of thehandle. Typical medical devices, on the handles of which such aprotective device can advantageously be used, are, for example,operating lamps and monitor mounts.

One advantage of the present invention is that the protective device canbe arranged on the handle in question and fixed thereto easily,especially with only one hand, without the need to touch in the processthe area surrounding the handle and the medical device itself and hencenonsterile parts. In addition, the division into a flexible part and arigid part leads to an advantageously small package size, the neededvolume being determined essentially by the rigid part.

In one embodiment of the protective device, the latter has in its rigidpart a thread or section intended for interacting with a thread or witha section in the base area of the handle in question. An especiallyreliable fixation of the protective device at the handle in question isguaranteed by means of such a thread or section.

In one embodiment of the protective device, the latter has turningassistance on its rigid part. Such turning assistance facilitates therotary motion of the rigid part relative to the base area of the handle,which are necessary for fixing the protective device on the handle inquestion.

The fixation of the protective device on the handle in question can beeliminated especially easily and in an especially uncomplicated mannerif the protective device has at the rigid part an unlocking device forreleasing the locking element from a fixation in the base area of thehandle.

In a special embodiment of the protective device, the latter has at therigid part at least one predetermined breaking point associated in spacewith the unlocking device. When the unlocking device is actuated, forexample, during a pull exerted by the hand of the user on the unlockingdevice, the predetermined breaking point or at least one predeterminedbreaking point will yield, so that an irreversible deformation of therigid part of the protective device will result. Based on such adeformation, it can reliably be recognized at any time whether theprotective device was already in use. An unintended multiple use of theprotective device can thus effectively be prevented.

A special embodiment of the protective device is characterized by arigid, plate-shaped rigid part. The rigid part is adapted with the plateshape especially well to the usual shape of a base area of a handle on amedical device. Moreover, the plate-shaped rigid part can be arrangedespecially well at the base part and the protective device as a wholecan thus be arranged especially well at the handle. Such a rigid partwill hereinafter accordingly also be called mounting plate. The plateshape, i.e., the round shape, of the rigid part guarantees, in addition,good guiding of the flexible part of by the rigid part on all sides, sothat the flexible part is properly in contact with the grip area of thehandle when the protective device is arranged at a handle.

In an alternative embodiment of the protective device, the lattercomprises a clamp as a rigid part, which is connected to the flexiblepart at least in partial areas. Such a clamp is elastically movablewithin the framework of its material properties and makes it possible oncompression, for example, to open the flexible part connected to theclamp. This facilitates the arrangement of the protective device on aparticular handle, namely, the pulling of the flexible part over thegrip area of the handle. In addition, the clamp is a flat component andthe protective device will correspondingly have an advantageously smallpackage size in the unused state, the clamp essentially determining theneeded area of the package.

In one embodiment of a protective device with a clamp as a rigid part,this protective device has at least one locking hook, which acts as alocking element and which meshes with a locking area of the handleduring the fixation at the handle, for the detachable fixation of theprotective device at a particular handle at the clamp.

In another special embodiment of a protective device with a clamp as arigid part, this protective device has two straps, which are articulatedat the clamp and are connected to the flexible part in the edge areathereof in at least some sections. These straps open the flexible partduring the compression of the clamp in a defined manner and hold,moreover, the flexible part at the edges thereof on all sides, so thatthe flexible part is properly in contact at least with the grip area ofthe handle on all sides when the protective device is arranged on ahandle.

On the whole, the invention being proposed here is also a system, whichcomprises a protective device of the type herein and hereinafterdescribed, on the one hand, and a handle of a medical device, on theother hand, wherein the handle has a grip area and a base area. In aspecial embodiment of such a system, the base area of the handle is setup for the detachable fixation of the rigid part of the protectivedevice at the handle and has for this purpose at least one locking areafor receiving the locking element of the protective device. At least onepredetermined breaking point is preferably provided, and is configuredsuch that it breaks when the protective device is unlocked, thus clearlyshowing a past use of the protective device and ruling out a repeateduse of the device.

In another embodiment of such a system, the locking area has a joiningarea, a catching area and a stop area with a guide slope in between. Thejoining area is intended to receive the locking element of theprotective device when the protective device is connected to the handleand receives the locking element during the initial connection of theprotective device to the handle. The locking element of the protectivedevice can be deflected by means of the guide slope during theconnection of the protective device to the handle and during therotation of the rigid part relative to the base area of the handle andis deflected when the protective device is connected to the handle andthe rigid part is rotated relative to the base area of the handle.During the further rotation of the rigid part, the locking element movesfrom the guide slope into the catching area and acts there to bringabout the locking fixation of the rigid part at the base area of thehandle.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be explained in moredetail below on the basis of drawings. Objects or elements correspondingto one another are provided with the same reference numbers in allfigures.

The exemplary embodiment or each exemplary embodiment shall not beconsidered to be a limitation of the present invention. Rather,variations and modifications are possible, especially such variants andcombinations which the person skilled in the art can find, for example,by a combination or modification of individual features that aredescribed in connection with the general or special part of thespecification as well as are contained in the claims and/or in thedrawings with a view to accomplishing the object and which lead to a newsubject through combinable features. The various features of noveltywhich characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For abetter understanding of the invention, its operating advantages andspecific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferredembodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective device for a handle of amedical device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a handle intended for arranging aprotective device according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mounting plate of the protectivedevice according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a protective device according to FIG. 1,which is arranged on a handle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a mountingplate for a protective device according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view of another protective device for a handle of amedical device;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a handle intended for arranging aprotective device according to FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a protective device according to FIG. 6,which is arranged on a handle;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a special embodiment of the protective deviceaccording to claim 6;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a part of the protective deviceaccording to FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side view of special embodiments of a part of theprotective device according to FIG. 6 or FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a handleintended for arranging a protective device according to FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, the view in FIG. 1 shows as an example anembodiment of the protective device 10 proposed here for a handle 12(FIG. 2) of a medical device, which is not shown itself, for example, ofa medical device in the form of an operating lamp or of a monitor mount.The protective device 10 comprises two parts connected to one another,namely, a first, flexible part 14, which is pulled over the handle 12and will hereinafter be called bag 14, as well as a second, fixed(rigid) part 16, by means of which the protective device 10 is fixed onthe handle in question 12 and which will hereinafter be called mountingplate 16.

The mounting plate 16 and the bag 14 preferably consist of a plastic.The bag 14 is permanently connected to the mounting plate 16. Theconnection may be brought about, for example, by welding, bonding or bymeans of a suitable additional component by clamping. The handle 12 hasa grip area 20 as well as a base area 22. At least the grip area 20 ofthe handle 12 is entirely covered by means of the bag 14 of theprotective device 10 when the protective device 10 is arranged on thehandle 12. The protective device 10 removed from a sterile packaging isnow connected detachably to the handle 12 by the bag 14 being pulledover the grip area, and the mounting plate 16 is arranged detachably onthe base area 22.

At the mounting plate 16, the protective device 10 has optional rotation(gripping) aids 18, in or at which the fingers of a user are supportedin order to rotate the mounting plate 16 of the protective device 10during the arrangement on the medical device in question. The turningassistance 18 may have an elevated and/or recessed configurationrelative to the adjacent surface of the mounting plate 16.

The view in FIG. 3 shows the underside of the mounting plate 16. Theprotective device 10 can be connected to the handle 12 of the particularmedical device in a positive-locking manner by means of a section orthread 24, which can be seen here and is enclosed by the mounting plate16, and it is connected to this in a positive-locking manner during thearrangement on a handle 12. The handle 12 or the medical device has asection or thread 26 (FIG. 2) corresponding to the section or thread 24of the protective device 10. The thread 24 in the mounting plate 16 andthe thread 26 at the base area 22 of the handle 12 do not necessarilyhave to be threads 24, 26 extending continuously helicallycircumferentially. Short helical sections fitting one another, as theyare configured in the embodiment shown, are, in fact, sufficient for apositive-locking connection. As an alternative, for example, a sectionin the manner of a bayonet coupling or in the form of a bayonet couplingmay be considered for use as a section for a positive-lockingconnection. In the interest of better readability, the description beingpresented here will be continued based on the example of a thread 24(internal thread), especially of an internal thread 24 in the form of aplurality of short helical sections, on the side of the mounting plate16 and of a fitting thread 26 on the side of the handle 12 or of themedical device. Other positive-locking connection possibilities,especially a connection in the form of or in the manner of a bayonetcoupling, shall always be implied and expressly considered to be alsocovered by the description being presented here.

In an optional embodiment, the mounting plate 16 of the protectivedevice 10 comprises a locking element 28, which is embodied in the formof a locking lug (FIG. 3) in the embodiment shown. The locking element28, especially the locking lug, is intended to lock the protectivedevice 10 in an end position of the rotary motion on the handle 12 andthus to prevent an unintended removal. The locking element 28 meshes forthis purpose, especially in a locking manner, with a locking area 30(FIG. 2) intended for this purpose in the handle 12, especially with alocking area 30 in the form of a recess in the thread 26 of the handle12.

The locking area 30 is optionally configured such that the lockingelement 28 of the mounting plate 16 is moved by means of the lockingarea 30 into an end position during the rotation of the mounting plate16 and is locked in this position. In the embodiment shown, the lockingarea 30 is several times longer for this purpose than the width of thelocking lug acting as a locking element 28 along the outercircumferential surface of the base area 22. The locking area 30 isdivided concretely into a joining area 30 a, a stop area with a guideslope 30 b and a catching area 30 c.

The joining area 30 a and the catching area 30 c are slightly broaderalong the outer circumferential surface of the base area 22 of thehandle 12 than the locking lug, being at least so broad that the joiningarea 30 a and the catching area 30 c can receive the locking lug(locking element 28).

When arranging the protecting device 10 and when combining the mountingplate 16 thereof with the base area 22 of the handle 12, the mountingplate 16 is or will be oriented first relative to the base area 22 suchthat the locking lug enters into the joining area 30 a of the lockingarea 30. It is only then that the mounting plate 16 can be placedentirely on the base area 22, so that the thread 24 of the mountingplate 16 will mesh with the thread 26 of the base area 22. The thread24, 26 becomes increasingly fixed during the subsequent rotation of themounting plate 16 relative to the base area 22 of the handle 12, and thelocking lug enters at the same time the stop area and slides along theguide slope 30 b, while the free end of the locking lug is deflectedradially outwards due to the elasticity of its material (pushed outwardsalong with a reversible deformation). During continued further rotationof the mounting plate 16 on the base area 22, the locking lug finallyenters the catching area 30 c. The locking lug now leaves the guideslope 30 b and is elastically deflected into the catching area 30 cwithout the previous deflection based on the guide slope 30 b. Thecatching area 30 c is defined by the end of the locking area 30 in thedirection of the previous rotation and by the end of the guide slope 30b in the opposite direction. This end of the guide slope 30 b is notbeveled, so that the locking lug snapped into the catching area 30 cprevents a further rotation of the mounting plate 16, but also abackward rotation of the mounting plate 16. The mounting plate 16 isthus fixed in an end position defined by the locking area 30 at thehandle 12, namely at the base area 22 thereof, as a result of which theprotective device 10 as a whole is fixed at the handle 12.

The locking area 30 is optionally present on the circumference of thebase area 22 as a plurality of locking areas, especially in a mannerinterrupting the thread 24. In the embodiment shown, the base area 22 ofthe handle 12 has a plurality of equidistant locking areas 30, namely,three locking areas 30, and three areas with one corresponding sectioneach of the thread 26 alternate with the three locking areas 30 alongthe outer circumference of the base area 22.

In a special variant of this embodiment, the locking element 28 is usedas a fixed stop in order to define an unambiguous end position of themounting plate 16 relative to the base area 22 during the arrangement ofthe protective device 10 on the handle 12, which takes place by themounting plate 16 being “screwed” onto the base area 22.

For unlocking a protective device 10 fixed on a handle 12, an unlockingdevice 32, which may have, for example, a grip ring at the end thereoffor easier handling, is provided at the protective device 10. Thelocking element 28 is disengaged from the locking area 30 by means ofthe unlocking device 32. Without actuating the locking element 28, whichis fixed in, especially snapped into, the locking area 30, the mountingplate 16 cannot be detached from the handle 12 even by means of a rotarymotion, and the protective device 10 as a whole cannot thus be removedfrom the handle 12.

In a special embodiment, an area around the unlocking device 32 isirreversibly deformed, for example torn off, during the unlocking. Thisis supported by a suitable configuration of the mounting plate 16 inthis area, for example, in the form of at least one predeterminedbreaking point 34 a in his area, especially of a predetermined breakingpoint 34 in the form of a notch or another weakening of the material. Inthe embodiment shown, the predetermined breaking point 34 a adjoins atleast one slot 34 in the mounting plate 16, namely, a slot 34 or twoparallel or essentially parallel slots 34, which slot or slotsmakes/make possible a mobility of the locking device 32. When thepredetermined breaking point 34 a is broken, the mounting plate 16 isirreversibly deformed after the unlocking by means of the unlockingdevice 32. The user can thus recognize the protective device 10 as“already used.” Reuse of the protective device 10 intended to be adisposable product is thus effectively prevented.

The view in FIG. 4 shows a protective device 10 according to FIG. 1,which is arranged on a handle 12. The bag 14 of the protective device 10fully encloses the grip area 20 of the handle 12 and thus seals thisentirely. The mounting plate 16 of the protective device 10 is arrangedat the base area 22 of the handle 12 by its thread 24 meshing with thethread 26 on the base area 22. In case of a protective device 10 with alocking element 28 and with an unlocking device 32, the locking element28 is fixed in the or in a locking area 30 of the base area 22 when theprotective device 10 is arranged at the handle 12 as intended, and itcan be detached from this fixation by means of the unlocking device 32.

The view in FIG. 5 shows a special embodiment of the mounting plate 16,wherein the bag 14 (FIG. 1) arranged on the mounting plate 16 in case ofa complete protective device 10 is not shown. The peculiar feature ofthis embodiment is that the unlocking device 32 is oriented in thedirection of the rotary motion of the mounting plate 16 during theremoval of the protective device 10 from the handle 12. The mountingplate 16 is thus already rotated in the direction necessary for theremoval of the protective device 10 after the unlocking by means of theunlocking device 32.

The views in FIG. 6 through FIG. 12 show another embodiment of aprotective device 10′ of the type being shown here for a handle 12′(FIG. 7) of a medical device, for example, a medical device in the formof an operating lamp or of a monitor mount, which is likewise not shownhere itself. This protective device 10′ also has a flexible part 14′,hereinafter called a bag 14′, as well as a rigid part 16′, which isconfigured as a clamp 16′ in this embodiment. The clamp 16′ ismanufactured, for example, from a metal or a plastic and has at any ratea spring-elastic configuration or a spring-elastic configuration in atleast some sections. The bag 14′ is permanently connected, for example,welded, bonded or clamped, to the clamp 16′ at least in partial areas40′.

The protective device 10′ according to FIG. 6 is intended for use with ahandle 12′ according to FIG. 7. This handle has a guide 42′ for theprotective device 10′. The guide 42′ begins in the grip area 20′ of thehandle 12′, especially at the free, upper end of the grip area 20′, andreaches the base area 22′ of the handle 12′. To arrange the protectivedevice 10′ on such a handle 12′, the user removes the protective device10′ from a corresponding sterile packaging, and the bag 14′ opens byslightly compressing the clamp 16′. The protective device 10′ can thusbe pushed over the handle 12′, while the bag 14′ is pushed up optionallyfarther by the grip area 20′ of the handle 12′. With the protectivedevice 10′ arranged on the handle 12′ as intended, the bag 14′ enclosesthe grip area 20′ entirely and thus it covers same completely. The clamp16′ is now guided by means of the guide 42′ of the handle 12′ and thebag 14′ pushes the clamp 16′ into the guide 42′ due to the internalstress. The guide 42′ has, for example, a round, V-shaped or angularprofile. As an alternative, guiding of the clamp 16′ may also beguaranteed by means of a groove in the clamp 16′ and a correspondingspring as a guide 42′ at the handle 12′ or a spring in the clamp 16′ anda corresponding groove as a guide 42′ on the handle 12′.

The clamp 16′ locks itself in the end position with the base area 22′ ofthe handle 12′ by means of a locking element 28′ enclosed by the clamp16′. In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, two locking hooks, whichmesh with a corresponding locking area 30′ each at the foot of thehandle 12′, especially in the base area 22′ thereof, act as a lockingelement. To remove the protective device 10′ from a handle 12′ after theend of use, the locking hooks are unmeshed from the locking area 30′ bymeans of lateral auxiliary grips 44′ and the protective device 10′ canbe pulled off from the grip 12′.

The view in FIG. 8 shows a protective device 10′ according to FIG. 6,which is arranged on a handle 12′ according to FIG. 7. The clamp 16′ inthe guide 42′ at the handle 12′ as well as the auxiliary grips 44′ forreleasing the locking of the clamp 16′ at the handle 12′ are seen in theinterior of the bag 14′.

The views in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show a special embodiment of theprotective device 10′ according to FIG. 6. Two straps 46′, only one ofwhich can be seen in the view of the collapsed protective device 10′ inFIG. 9, are located here at the free ends of the clamp 16′. It alsobecomes clear hereby that the straps 46′ lie flat when the protectivedevice 10′ is in a package (sterile packaging) and become erect onlywhen the protective device 10′ is arranged on a handle 12′.

The bag 14′ of such a protective device 10′ is connected by its edge onthe open side to a particular strap 46′ each in at least some areas, forexample, by welding or bonding. Each strap 46′ is arc-shaped already inthe relaxed state, and the arc shape predefines a preferential directionduring the subsequent deformation when the protective device 10′ isarranged on a handle 12′. When the protective device 10′ is arranged ona handle 12′, the bag 14′ is opened, as in the embodiment according toFIG. 6, by compressing the legs of the clamp 16′. The force applied tothe ends of the two straps 46′ during the compression of the legs of theclamp 16′ brings about a deformation of the straps, so that the straps46′ undergo a deformation in the direction of an arc shape with anincreasingly smaller radius. In the mounted state on the handle 12′, thetwo straps 46′ form a circular shape or approximately a circular shapeor at least a shape that corresponds to the shape of the base of thebase area 22′ of the handle 12′. The straps 46′ fix the edges of the bag14′ at the base area 22′ of the handle 12′, so that as complete acoverage of the handle 12′ as possible, and at least full coverage ofthe grip area 20′ thereof, is guaranteed.

The mobility of the straps 46′ comprises a folding over from the planeof the clamp 16′ (FIG. 9) into a plane extending at right angles oressentially at right angles to the plane of the clamp 16′ (FIG. 10) aswell as an elastic flexibility. The mobility for folding over from thepackaged position into the plane extending at right angles or at leastessentially at right angles to the plane of the clamp 16′ is guaranteedby means of suitable hinges, for example, film hinges, at the points atwhich the straps 46′ are connected to the clamp 16′. The flexibility ofthe straps 46′ is guaranteed by means of selecting a suitable material.The straps 46′ are manufactured, for example, from a plastic.

The view in FIG. 11 shows different positions for locking elements 28arranged in respective pairs at a clamp 16′ of the protective device10′. The handle 12′ has corresponding locking areas 30′, depending onthe variant of the clamp. The locking elements 28′ shown in FIG. 11 mayalso be combined individually or in pairs with additional lockingelements 28′, for example, such that a clamp 16′ has all the lockingelements 28′ shown in FIG. 11 or some of the locking elements 28′ shownin FIG. 11.

The view in FIG. 12 finally shows a variant of the handle 12″, in whichthe locking area 30″ is configured in the form of a hook at the handle12″, for example, in the form of a hook at the base area 22″ of thehandle 12″. The protective device 10″ is fixed with such a locking area30″ at the handle 12″ by the corresponding section of the clamp 16″being hooked into the hook.

Individual aspects of the description being submitted here, which are inthe foreground, can thus be briefly summarized as follows: Proposed area protective device 10, 10′ with a flexible part 14, 14′ and with arigid part 16, 16′, which protective device acts as a protective coverfor a part 12, 12′, 12″ of a medical device, wherein the rigid part 16,16′ has at least one locking element 28, 28′, which can be lockinglyconnected to a counterpiece of the corresponding part 12, 12′, 12″ ofthe medical device, as well as a system, which comprises such aprotective device 10, 10′ and a handle 12, 12′, 12″ of a medical device,which said handle is intended and set up for arranging such a protectivedevice 10, 10′.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A protective device for a handle of amedical device, the protective device comprising: a first, flexiblepart; and a second, rigid part, wherein the flexible part covers atleast a grip area of the handle with the protective device arranged onthe handle, and wherein the rigid part detachably meshes with a basearea of the handle and the rigid part comprises at least one lockingelement for detachable fixation to the base area, the rigid part furthercomprising a thread or bayonet coupling which thread or bayonet couplingis configured for interaction with a thread or bayonet coupling in thebase area in a positive-locking manner.
 2. A protective device inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the rigid part further comprisesturning assistance.
 3. A protective device in accordance with claim 1,wherein the rigid part further comprises an unlocking device at therigid part, which said unlocking device is configured for detaching thelocking element from a fixation in the base area of the handle.
 4. Aprotective device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the rigid partfurther comprises at least one predetermined breaking point associatedin space with the unlocking device at the rigid part.
 5. A protectivedevice in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rigid part is configuredas a rigid, plate-shaped rigid part.
 6. A protective device inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the thread or bayonet coupling of therigid part is directly adjacent to an inner surface of the rigid part,the thread or bayonet coupling of the base area being directly adjacentto an outer surface of the base area.
 7. A handle arrangement for amedical device, the handle arrangement comprising: a handle comprising abase area and a grip area; and a protective device, the protectivedevice comprising: a first, flexible part; and a second, rigid part,wherein the flexible part covers at least the grip area of the handlewith the protective device arranged on the handle, and the rigid partdetachably meshes with the base area of the handle and the rigid partcomprises at least one locking element for detachable fixation to thebase area, the rigid part further comprising a thread or bayonetcoupling which thread or bayonet coupling is configured for interactionwith a thread or bayonet coupling in the base area in a positive-lockingmanner.
 8. A handle arrangement in accordance with claim 7, wherein therigid part further comprises rotation gripping aids.
 9. A handlearrangement in accordance with claim 7, wherein the rigid part furthercomprises an unlocking device configured for detaching the lockingelement from a fixation in the base area of the handle.
 10. A handlearrangement in accordance with claim 9, wherein the rigid part furthercomprises at least one predetermined breaking point associated in spacewith the unlocking device.
 11. A handle arrangement in accordance withclaim 7, wherein the rigid part is configured as a rigid, plate-shapedrigid part.
 12. A handle arrangement in accordance with claim 7, whereinthe thread or bayonet coupling of the rigid part is directly adjacent toan inner surface of the rigid part, the thread or bayonet coupling ofthe base area being directly adjacent to an outer surface of the basearea.
 13. A handle arrangement in accordance with claim 12, wherein therigid part is configured to rotate relative to the base area such thatrotation of the rigid part brings the thread or bayonet coupling of therigid part in contact with the thread or bayonet coupling in the basearea to connect the rigid part to the base area.
 14. A handlearrangement in accordance with claim 7, wherein the thread or bayonetcoupling of the base part comprises a thread or bayonet couplingcomponent, the thread or bayonet coupling component being directlyadjacent to another portion of the base part.
 15. A system comprising: aprotective device comprising a flexible part and a rigid part comprisingat least one locking element; and a handle of a medical device, whereinthe handle comprises a grip area and a base area, and wherein the basearea comprises a locking area configured for detachable fixation of therigid part of the protective device at the handle with the locking areareceiving the locking element of the protective device, the rigid partfurther comprising a thread or bayonet coupling which thread or bayonetcoupling is configured for interaction with a thread or bayonet couplingin the base area in a positive-locking manner.
 16. A system inaccordance with claim 15, wherein: the locking area has a joining area,a catching area and a stop area between the joining area and thecatching area and the stop area comprises a guide slope; the joiningarea first receives the locking element during a connection of theprotective device to the handle; the guide slope deflects the lockingelement during the connection of the protective device to the handle andduring a rotation of the rigid part relative to the base area of thehandle; and the locking element reaches the catching area from the guideslope during a further rotation of the rigid part and acts at thecatching area to bring about the locking fixation of the rigid part atthe base area of the handle.
 17. A system in accordance with claim 15,wherein the thread or bayonet coupling of the rigid part is directlyadjacent to an inner surface of the rigid part, the thread or bayonetcoupling of the base area being directly adjacent to an outer surface ofthe base area.
 18. A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein therigid part is configured to rotate relative to the base area such thatrotation of the rigid part brings the thread or bayonet coupling of therigid part in contact with the thread or bayonet coupling in the basearea to connect the rigid part to the base area.
 19. A system inaccordance with claim 15, wherein the thread or bayonet coupling of therigid part is directly adjacent to an inner surface of the rigid part,the thread or bayonet coupling of the base area being directly adjacentto an outer surface of the base area.
 20. A system in accordance withclaim 19, wherein the thread or bayonet coupling of the base partcomprises a thread or bayonet coupling component, the thread or bayonetcoupling component extending radially outward from another portion ofthe base part.